The present invention pertains to waste collection and disposal systems and devices, and, more particularly, pertains to a glove-like bag for manually collecting and disposing of waste material.
With the modern emphasis on health, hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness in both public and personal spheres, it is a priority to have readily available waste material collection, clean up, and disposal systems and devices.
This is especially the case for individuals in situations where waste material must be quickly and efficiently collected and disposed of in order to maintain a clean, safe, and sanitary environment. Moreover, there are a number of situations and places where it is mandatory that any spillage or deposition of waste material be immediately collected and disposed of for reasons of public and personal hygiene and health. Such situations include the spillage of food product and garbage in restaurants, the leakage of fecal matter when changing a baby""s diaper, and the defecation of pets, especially dogs, when they are being walked in parks and in other public grounds. In the aforementioned examples, the waste material must be quickly collected by an individual for disposal while at the same time the individual attempts to minimizexe2x80x94and preferably avoidxe2x80x94any contact with the waste material. This is notably difficult to achieve in the case of mother changing her infant""s diaper where one hand is required to hold the infant relatively still while the other hand is needed for removing the diaper, cleaning the infant, and then putting on a clean, new diaper.
In order to meet such situations, various waste collection and disposal systems and devices have been conceived ranging from dispensable towelettes for cleaning infants to hand manipulable scoopers attached to elongated handles for collecting animal waste. Towelettes have the disadvantage in that they can""t prevent the individual""s hands from being soiled while the disadvantage of scoopers is that they must be cleaned after each use to avoid the accumulation of filth and foul smelling odors. If scoopers can""t be easily cleaned, then they must be wrapped in newspaper or some other material to prevent the car or mini van floor from being marred.
In view of the above difficulties in dealing with waste material, the prior art discloses a number of devices ostensibly directed to improvements in waste material collection and disposal.
For example, Jacob""s (U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,251) discloses a glove-like waste disposal system that includes an inner glove and an outer glove that fits over the inner glove so that the individual can pick up the waste material in the palm of the outer glove. Both gloves are then everted for disposal of the waste material.
Hayes (U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,697) discloses disposable clean-up bags that are dispensed from a container in sheets one after the other.
Lerner (U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,733) discloses a glove that may be imbued with a cleaning solution and which is turned inside out for disposing of a soiled baby diaper.
Murray (U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,881) discloses a cleaning mitt having various compartments, and a concealed cleaning pad, for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces.
Olson (U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,806) discloses a clean up bag having a glove affixed to the interior of the clean up bag and which is removable for cleaning up waste material.
Madrid (U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,334) discloses a bag blank that can be reconfigured to form a bag that can hold waste material.
Jacovitz (U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,708) discloses a glove that includes handles that are used to turn the glove inside out after waste material has been collected in the palm of the glove.
Surplus (U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,670) discloses a glove bag having fingers and a cuff portion that has compartments for holding objects.
Carpol (U.S.,Pat. No. 6,116,668) discloses a flexible garment having fingers for grasping solid animal waste in the palm of the garment which is then everted for disposing of the waste material and the garment.
Nonetheless, despite the variety of waste disposal systems and devices there remains a need for one that is simple and efficient to use and that prevents any skin contact with the waste material.
The present invention comprehends a glove-like bag for waste material collection and disposal, and the glove-like bag can be disposed of along with the waste material or it can be reused after the waste material has been disposed.
The glove-like bag of the present invention includes a major body portion configured for accommodating a human hand. Integrally attached to the major body portion is a wrist portion through which the individual inserts his or her hand for placement within the major body portion. The major body portion also includes a thumb portion that extends laterally from the major body portion and which is sized to accommodate therein the individual""s thumb. Extending between the major body portion and the thumb portion is an offset bag portion that can be manipulated to contact and collect the waste material therein. In addition, the major body portion can have attached or formed thereon a cleaning pad to protect the major body portion from abrasion during waste material collection and to scrape the surface after the waste material has been removed therefrom; and a sanitizing bar for sanitizing the surface after collection of the waste material.
In an alternate embodiment, the major body portion is divided to form two finger sections or portions and the cleaning pad wraps around the finger section that accommodates the individual""s little finger and ring finger. Also, the sanitizing bar extends along the outer edge of the finger section that encloses therein the individual""s little finger and ring finger. The sanitizing bar is protected by a peel-away strip that must be first removed in order to release the sanitizing agent or substance.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a glove-like bag that allows for waste material collection and prevents any skin contact by the waste material during collection and disposal.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a glove-like bag having a removable offset bag portion wherein waste material can be collected so that the offset bag portion can be removed with the waste material gathered therein thus allowing reuse of the glove-like bag.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a glove-like bag having both a cleaning pad and a sanitizing bar for both scraping the waste material off the surface and then deodorizing and sanitizing the surface after removal of the waste material.
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote the same elements.